News for the Traveler

If you've wondered how they make maple syrup in Vermont, you can find out firsthand by visiting one of the many sugarhouses open to visitors. Vermont's sugaring season traditionally begins around the first week in March and continues well into April. A visit can add an educational dimension to a family skiing vacation in spring. The Vermont Travel Division has a brochure that lists all the maple sugarhouses open to visitors and indicates which sugarmakers arrange sugar parties, those that are accessible by car (most are), and what other maple products are offered for sale.

For a free copy of the brochure, write to the Vermont Travel Division, Suite Maple, 61 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vt. 05602.

A new edition of ''110 Country Inns of Maine,'' by Mimi Steadman, has recently been published by Down East Books of Camden, Maine. Her selection of inns ranges across the state, from busy south coastal resort towns to remote northwoods lakes. Some of the inns are old established favorites; others are new , original, and equally charming. Many are beautiful historic buildings; some offer gardens and ski trails. Every inn in this new guide serves meals, and many pride themselves on the quality of their cuisine.

The listings are arranged geographically by four regions of Maine, with maps introducing each section. The book is available in bookstores or direct from the publisher, Down East Books, PO Box 679, Camden, Maine 04843, for $9.95 postpaid; add 5 percent for deliveries to Maine addresses.